1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the as presented in the introductory part of the appended claim 1. The present invention relates also to a system as presented in the introductory part of the appended claim 6.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Message service refers in this context e.g. to short message service (SMS) as well as to paging. In a corresponding manner, a system for the transmission of messages refers to a system for applying a message service, preferably a mobile communication system. In the publication TSK 19: “Matkaviestinsanasto—Vocabulary of Mobile Communications” by Tekniikan Sanastokeskus r.y. (ISBN 951-95567-9-6), a mobile communication system is defined as a data communication system formed by a mobile communication network and mobile stations. Mobile communication systems include a cellular system, a paging system as well as a mobile telephone system. A cellular system, such as a GSM system, is a mobile communication system using a cellular network. A paging system is a simplex mobile communication system intended for paging. A mobile telephone system is a duplex mobile communication system intended primarily for the transmission of speech. A mobile station refers in this context to a mobile station and to a paging receiver applicable for the reception of messages transmitted by a message service.
The user has for example two mobile stations which in this description, for the sake of clarity, are called a primary mobile station and a secondary mobile station. The primary mobile station refers to the mobile station primarily used by the user. Accordingly, the secondary mobile station refers to the mobile station used less frequently by the user. These mobile stations can be substantially identical with respect to the properties, or the primary mobile station has usually more extensive properties than the secondary mobile station. The primary mobile station has for example the telefax functionality, the electronic mail functionality and a calendar function. The secondary mobile station, instead, may be lighter and more compact, and it may thus be more convenient to carry along.
The transmission of a message in a message transmission system is typically conducted in a way that the sender of the message writes a text message e.g. with a mobile station or with a computer in communication with a telecommunication network, and defines the message a receiver address. The receiver address is e.g. a code identifying the mobile station of the recipient of the message, such as a telephone number. The message transmission system comprises means for receiving the message to be transmitted from the sender and means for retrieving the address of the recipient of the message and for sending the message to the mobile station of the recipient.
A message service centre is e.g. in the GSM system advantageously a short message service centre (SM-SC), a paging network controller (PNC) or a wireless messaging switch (WMS).
Also, the transmitted message can be intended to be received by several recipients, wherein a so-called group transmission is involved. Thus the transmission includes information about the group of recipients, wherein the message transmission system has the identification data of the mobile stations belonging to the group and the message is transmitted to all the mobile stations of this group. A group transmission can also be sent in a way that the identification data of the mobile stations belonging to the group is stored in the mobile station of the sender, wherein the mobile station of the sender generates the message to be transmitted to each mobile station in the group and transmits each message separately. This alternative does not require that the message transmission system has group transmission handling properties and group data storage capacity.
One known message transmission system is paging, wherein the message to be transmitted can be given e.g. by means of a telecommunication terminal connected with a landline or wireless telecommunication network. The message is transmitted to a paging network controller equipped with means (a modulator an a radio transmitter) for transmitting the message via the radio channel to the paging receiver. The paging receiver has a radio receiver and a demodulator for demodulating the message. Furthermore, the paging device comprises means for presenting the message to the recipient. The message can be given for example as a text message or a sound message.
Another message transmission system is the short message service of the GSM mobile communication network. Thus the message to be transmitted can be formed as a short message e.g. with a mobile station or a data processor in communication with a telecommunication network. The short message is provided with the identification data of the mobile station of the recipient, such as a telephone number. On the basis of the identification data, the short message is transmitted to the mobile station of the recipient. The short message service centre SM-SC controls the transmission of short messages in the GSM mobile communication network. The mobile station of the recipient receives the short message and informs the recipient of the reception of the message. Thus the recipient can e.g. by means of the menu functions read the received short message. The transmitting and receiving mobile stations can also belong to mobile communication networks provided by different teleoperators, and they can also be mobile stations of different mobile communication systems, if the properties for transmission of short messages are arranged between these mobile communication systems. The receiving mobile station can also be a paging device. This is prior art, so that its more detailed presentation will be rendered unnecessary in this context.
Systems have been developed for reminding the user at a given time of the beginning of an event. In this description, events of this kind are called calendar events. These calendar events can include a meeting, a special day, an appointment, a trip, or an exhibition. The user has a calendar application at his or her availability, for example a computer calendar program, or a calendar application of a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a mobile station. The calendar application gives also a possibility to set an alarm of the beginning of a certain event. This alarm can be set at the time of beginning of the event or possibly also some time before the beginning of this event, so that the user will have some time to be prepared for the event. This is a very useful function particularly for reminding of the beginning of meetings. The alarm can be a sound signal or it can also be a text message that is displayed on the display device of the mobile station.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,473 discloses one such calendar-controlled selective message system and a method for its use. The system comprises an electronic data processor with means for transmitting a message to a paging device, means for writing the message, means for selecting the address of the paging device, and means for transmitting the message at a predetermined moment of time to at least one selected paging receiver. The data processor used can be for example a computer with a modem for connecting the computer into data communication with a telecommunication network, such as a landline telecommunication network. The memory means of the data processor contains a stored list on the identification data of paging devices and a real-time calendar in which the user can enter the events in advance. The software of the data processor contains an application program which monitors the alarm times of events entered in the calendar substantially in real time and transmits a message at the alarm time entered in the event. The message is transmitted to the selected paging device. The paging device can also be the user's own paging device, wherein the user can remind him- or herself of important events. However, a disadvantage of this system is e.g. the fact that the recipient of the message must carry along the exactly correct paging device to be reached. On the other hand, the recipient may have several devices suitable for receiving this kind of messages, such as mobile stations and paging devices, wherein the sender of the message may not necessarily know which one of these devices the message should be addressed to in order to catch the recipient in time.
In telephone exchanges, the call transmission function is known, i.e. it is possible to transmit calls incoming to a certain telephone to another telephone selected in advance. The call transmission is set by entering the transmission command from the phone to which the incoming calls are intended to be transferred. In connection with the transmission command, the number of the telephone to which are transferred, is entered. The telephone can be a phone of an ordinary landline telecommunication network or also a mobile station connected with a mobile communication network. If the calls coming in a mobile station are directed to be transferred to another telecommunication terminal, also the messages coming in this mobile station are transferred to the selected telecommunication terminal. However, call transmission is not a useful function e.g. in situations in which one wishes to transfer the calls and messages coming in a certain telecommunication terminal to different telecommunication terminals, or to transfer only incoming messages. In systems of currently known technology, this requires that the sender of the message has, at the moment of transmission, knowledge of the number of the mobile station used by the recipient for receiving messages at that time. Consequently, the sender must select the number.